Describe Teamwork
Teamwork refers to individual contributions brought together towards achievement of common purpose. In respect to this, group purpose is given priority over individual needs to strengthen the interactions and relationship amongst members. Teamwork often comprises of individuals that have got passion to attain a given objective of solving a specific problem. Success of team work depends on the different types of individual skills that bring about consensus building and good communication network.
These must be accompanied by clearly understood goals which must be in agreement with the structure of individual’s current principles of operation. Numerous elements like common interest, process of team-building, clarification of achievable goals and the scale of achievement makes up a good teamwork. Effective teamwork is as a result of harmonizing individual contributions towards common goal (NDT Resource centre).
There are several characteristics that describe what effective teamwork represents. These include; set of clear objectives on what is to be achieved, in line with specific performance which makes every team member aware of when achievement is attained. The structure of the team should be developed by involving all team members and should be result oriented. All commitment irrespective of individual differences should be subject to the already set team objectives.
The spirit of collaboration is one of the core issues that decide whether a team fails or succeeds since it reveals the level of individual’s honesty and respect towards the team. The team must operate on high standards and it is the obligation of each member to understand and comply with the set standards. External motivation is a requirement for successful individual contributions within the team and finally an effective teamwork is characterized by good leadership (NDT Resource centre).
Teamwork undergoes several stages before it can reach maturity stage. The first stage involves the formation of the team whereby the members scrutinize the group behavior, check whether they fit and can work effectively under the provided leadership guidance. Then there is the stage where all members are required to brainstorm on the ideas that could guarantee progress. This stage is often characterized by disagreements and argument amongst members as a result of working with strange ideas from individual members. There is much focus on individual group members rather than the team’s objectives.
The norming stage is characterized by reconciliation amongst members and team cooperation is enhanced through concentration on teamwork rather than individuals. The final stage is referred to as performance stage which is characterized by maturity of the team members. There is general acceptance of each member irrespective of their strengths and weaknesses. Each member at this stage learns about their roles and responsibilities within the team. Members become confident of their contributions and more so become open to other members ideas and contributions. In this stage decisions are thoroughly scrutinized, and tasks prioritized in accordance to the magnitude of the problem to be solved (NDT Resource centre).
Why do people work as a team especially in class?
Teamwork is an important component in the environment and education culture; this is because it presents the best way of evaluating performance based on individual confidence. Teamwork is important in class since it provides students with the opportunity of learning from one another and improves on their points of weaknesses. Better results are realized when teamwork is applied since students are taught on ways to function and be productive in a team within the workforce environment after school. Students are equipped well from teamwork tasks since they are given opportunity to operate in practical social environment (NDT Resource centre).
Works Cited
NDT Resource centre. “Teamwork in the Classroom.” Teaching resources, 2010. Web.